Current computer platform architecture design encompasses many different interfaces to connect one device to another device. The interfaces provide I/O (input/output) for computing devices and peripherals, and may use a variety of protocols and standards to provide the I/O. The differing interfaces may also use different hardware structures to provide the interface. For example, current computer systems typically include multiple ports with corresponding connection interfaces, as implemented by physical connectors and plugs at the ends of the cables connecting the devices. Common connector types may include a Universal Serial Bus (USB) subsystem with a number of associated USB plug interfaces, DisplayPort, High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Firewire (as set forth in IEEE 1394), or other connector type.
As computing devices grow smaller in size, the physical space requirements for the physical ports, as well as the printed circuit board (PCB, or PC board) requirements for the circuits to drive the ports, become more significant. Thus, providing all available interfaces, or even a significant number of them, may not be practical. Additionally, there may be certain interfaces (e.g., USB) that is extremely prevalent, but that does not have the bandwidth capacity of other interfaces (e.g., optical interfaces). All interfaces also face practical issues of usability and durability (peripheral devices may be plugged and unplugged many times), which can negatively affect the precision of alignment of a plug, reducing the effectiveness of the interface.
Descriptions of certain details and implementations follow, including a description of the figures, which may depict some or all of the embodiments described below, as well as discussing other potential embodiments or implementations of the inventive concepts presented herein. An overview of embodiments of the invention is provided below, followed by a more detailed description with reference to the drawings.